1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of portable electroplating utilizing an anode composed of tin, cadmium, lead, or indium encased with a fluid absorptive sleeve which has been immersed in an aqueous electrolyte containing free sulfamic acid. An electroplating current is applied between the anode and the workpiece to thereby deposit a plating at selected areas of the workpiece.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,525,681 there is described an electrolytic device for applying an electric current through an electrolyte to a metal surface, the device including absorbent sleeves which hold liquid electrolyte against the anode for plating purposes.
In my later patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,627, there is described a method of metal electroplating for depositing a localized plating on an electrically conductive portable member. The workpiece to be plated is removably positioned on an electrically conductive current carrying cathode bar. The contact area to be plated is rubbed with a plating electrolyte-carrier to wet the area with the electrolyte and build up a plated layer.
The present invention may utilize the type of method and apparatus described in aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,627 but makes use of an improved electrolyte. Heretofore, electrolytes for portable plating frequently used corrosive materials such as sulfuric acid, sodium or potassium hydroxide, sodium or potassium cyanides, and salts of plateable metals. The use of such chemicals made it necessary to provide safeguards for operating personnel to prevent contact with the chemicals. It was also necessary to use specialized, expensive containers for handling and shipping the chemicals which necessarily increased the cost. Since many of these materials also gave off noxious fumes, pollution control of the atmosphere was a problem.